The present invention relates to the field of paddle ball games, and includes an apparatus and method for playing a new game of this type. The invention also includes a novel construction of the paddle.
The prior art is filled with patents for paddle ball games, and other games involving players in opposing courts. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,513 discloses a paddle ball game in which a ball is tossed back and forth by two players, and including a rebound structure at the center of the court. U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,492 discloses another game in which a ball is tossed between two opposing players.
Some devices of the prior art have the primary object of providing a miniaturized version of a familiar game. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,968, which describes a small volleyball court, for use by two sitting or kneeling players. Another example is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,762, which shows a ball game wherein a tethered ball is tossed back and forth by two players. Other court structures for playing paddle ball games are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,926,433 and 4,194,740.
Various types of paddles, for use in paddle ball games, have also been described in the prior art. Paddles have been designed with various types of handles for attachment to a player's hand. Examples of such paddles are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,387,895, 4,516,774, 2,987,316, and 1,402,799.
The present invention includes a game apparatus, and a method for playing the game, providing a competitive, recreational, and healthful activity. The game apparatus occupies very little storage space, and weighs very little, and therefore is quite portable. Unlike the paddle ball games known in the past, the game is played with a paddle in both hands, and the paddle is designed so that it can be rapidly pivoted to enable the player to strike a ball arriving from virtually any direction. While the game is primarily intended to be played by two persons, the apparatus can be used by more than two, and can even be used by one person.
The invention also includes a unique construction for the paddle, wherein the handle of the paddle is shaped to conform to the contour of the player's hand, and wherein the paddle also includes surfaces on which the player's thumb and forefinger can rest.